







In English we use the present simple tense to talk about facts or things that are always true, as well as things in general. Present simple is also used to talk about a repeated action such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens.
In English we use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions and we often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, always, often, never, usually, rarely, and hardly ever.
Notes for use of present simple :
In the third person, ‘s’ is added to the verb form. For example;
work --> works
run --> runs
live --> lives
For verbs that end in 'o', 'sh', 'ch', 's' and 'x', we add 'es' to the verb form. For example;
go --> goes
wish --> wishes
watch --> watches
kiss --> kisses
fax --> faxes
For verbs that end in a consonant + 'y', we change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. For example;
try --> tries
study --> studies
The table below shows the different forms of present simple :
Example Verb : Work | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | ... work. | ... works. |
| Negative | ... don't work. | ... doesn't work. |
Questions | Do ... work? | Does ... work? |
| Short answers | Yes, ... do. / No, ... don't. | Yes, ... does. / No, ... doesn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'am', 'is', 'are' in the present simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb: Be | I | You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | I'm ... | ... 're ... | ... 's ... |
| Negative | I'm not ... | ... aren't ... | ... isn't ... |
| Questions | Am I ... ? | Are ... ...? | Is ... ...? |
| Short answers | Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. | Yes, ... are. / No, ... aren't. | Yes, ... is. / No, ... isn't. |
Present Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Present Simple :
Negative Examples of Present Simple :
Question Examples of Present Simple :
| Present simple example sentences | |
|---|---|
| Hi there, are you ready? | Hola, ¿estás lista? |
| Yeah, it's not common, but that's what it says in the recipe. | Sí, no es habitual, pero es lo que dice en la receta. |
| Hello, is that Cate? | Hola, ¿eres Cate? |
| What does Diego do? | ¿Qué hace Diego? |
| It's all about my lovely little cat, Pogo. | Es sobre mi pobre y adorable gato, Pogo. |
| I need to use chicken stock for the risotto! | ¡Necesito usar el caldo de pollo para el risotto! |
| No worries, I have got a peeler for you! | No te preocupes, ¡tengo un pelador para ti! |
| It makes all of our clothes stink! | ¡Hace que toda nuestra ropa apeste! |
| So I don't snore everyday... | Así que no ronco todos los días... |
| Why is that rice so special? | ¿Por qué es tan especial ese arroz? |
| You don't know the story behind it. | No conoces la historia detrás de ello. |
| I don't know, maybe it helps a bit! | No lo sé, ¡quizás ayuda un poco! |
| I hope your friends don't mind. | Espero que a tus amigas no les importe. |
| Hello Beatrix, it's me, Cate. | Hola Beatrix, soy yo, Cate. |
| Do you have another one? | ¿Tienes otro? |
| But... I'm not good at lying... | Pero... no soy buena mintiendo... |
| Erm, I can't work it out, I guess it's more than 150 years old. | Eh, no puedo resolverlo, supongo que tiene más de 150 años. |
| Is there any other cat around? | ¿Hay otro gato cerca? |
| There are plenty more, but I think gumtree.com is the best. | Hay muchos más, pero creo que gumtree.com es el mejor. |
| I want to be sober and energetic for tomorrow. | Quiero estar sobrio y lleno de energía para mañana. |